


31

by parahelios



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Birthday, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:34:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26222716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parahelios/pseuds/parahelios
Summary: Dedue gets older.
Relationships: Sylvain Jose Gautier/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 18
Kudos: 57





	31

Dedue comes home shortly before midnight to a dark, silent house.

The light switch is in arm's reach, but he opts to remove his shoes by the light of the moon coming in through the window instead, before proceeding down the hallway towards the kitchen.

An odd scent lingers in the air—one that hadn't been there that morning before he'd left for work. He halts briefly at the entrance of the kitchen, drawing the faint sweetness in through a long, slow breath until recognition finally strikes.

 _Of course_ , Dedue thinks, as he turns the kitchen light on and his eyes settle on the cake sitting innocuously on the island counter. It rests on a clear glass platter that is clearly a new addition to the kitchenware, frosted in white buttercream with red roses and swirling green vines.

A small notecard rests beside the cake, carrying an elegantly handwritten, 'Happy birthday Dedue!' The logo of a familiar bakery is present on the back of the notecard, one Dedue has seen countless times but never tires of. After all, it has not only acted as a mark of success for one of his closest friends, but also as a reminder of all of the occasions he has been lucky enough to have cause to celebrate; all of the occasions he has been lucky enough to be alive for.

He is positive the cake is delicious, but he is also now positive there is another surprise awaiting him. Dedue considers his options, and then pulls open the drawer that contains the cake knife—as expected, a sticky note is attached to the handle with a simple, 'Backyard first, dessert later,' and a winky face.

A huff of helpless amusement escapes Dedue then, and it is with no small amount of fondness that he closes the drawer and dutifully makes his way over to the sliding glass doors leading out into the backyard.

The moment he steps foot on to the deck, the world around him flares to life.

The yard is not an unfamiliar area for Dedue; it is where he tends to his flowers and his vegetables, where he meditates with his eyes closed against the sunrise, where he settles with his afternoon tea and reads his mother's poetry from the well-worn pages of her journal. But he has never quite seen it like this, below the warm glow of dozens of string lights and lanterns against a pitch black sky and the shadows of the trees surrounding the property.

A simple change in lighting, and the familiar becomes enchanting.

Speaking of—

"Happy birthday! Surprised?" says his husband in the center of it all, dazzling grin in place.

Dedue cannot help but chuckle as he descends the steps to close the distance between them.

"Stunned," he says, maintaining as dry a tone as he can manage while smiling as much as he is. "It is entirely unlike you to be evasive about your activities for the week leading up to a notable event, culminating in a grand romantic gesture intended to sweep me off my feet."

Sylvain doesn't bother looking chagrined; instead, he laughs. "Alright, I can recognize a callout when I hear one. Have I really become that predictable?"

"Not to everyone," says Dedue, with a hum of consideration. "To the man you have been married to for nine years, however..."

"Wow. Nine years," repeats Sylvain in theatrical surprise, as though he has suddenly forgotten about the nine anniversary scrapbooks he had personally insisted on assembling and has on proud display throughout the house. (Ten, if you include the one for their wedding.) "That's a long time."

"Yes, and in December, it will be ten years," says Dedue serenely, "which is an even longer period of time."

"Damn, I haven't even begun planning my big romantic gesture for that yet," says Sylvain, which is a lie, because Dedue has most certainly caught him adding ideas to his Pinterest board.

"I would be content sleeping in," says Dedue, which is true.

"Then that's what we'll do," says Sylvain, "but somewhere fun. I'm thinking a tropical beachside resort where the masseuse comes right up to your room and you can watch—"

Whatever his husband wants to watch at the tropical beachside resort for their tenth anniversary is something that can be discussed later, Dedue decides, cutting him off with a gentle hand against his face and a soft kiss upon his lips.

Nine years of marriage, and Dedue's stomach still flips when Sylvain kisses him back.

"So, feel old yet?" Sylvain asks him later, when it's after midnight and they're sitting at the kitchen counter eating generous slices of Mercedes' cake, because even though it's long past both their bedtimes it's too good to leave alone.

 _Old_ : an adjective, describing something or someone that has lived for a long time.

"Yes," says Dedue. "Thankfully."

**Author's Note:**

> sylvain took dedue's last name and signs it in full every time he corresponds with his family, including in twitter replies. it uses 21 characters every time and is 100% worth it.
> 
> [speaking of twitter](https://twitter.com/parahelios/status/1300566557349892096?s=19)


End file.
